What Is “Food Security”?

By Anne Swann, Public Health Dietitian with Vancouver Coastal Health and Richmond Eats 2016 participant. Richmond’s Season of Plenty I was recently on vacation and was talking to a gentleman from Hawaii, living now in Vancouver. When he found out I was from Richmond, he began raving about Richmond blueberries and fresh tomatoes (that he purchased in bulk from a farm market and made into the “best” tomato sauce in the world). I was proud to be a resident of such a place, especially in its season of plenty. I decided to dive in and explore further this city I call home by taking part in Richmond Eats: The Local Eating Challenge. As I drove from farm-to-farm, and farm-market to farm-market, gathering the bounty of locally grown food, I was not only surprised by...

Sometimes we have to sacrifice some of the pleasures in life to do the right thing — but how fun is that? For me, it’s about the sweet tooth. Sure, I’m game to take on Richmond’s second annual Local Eating Challenge, which is happening this week. This means myself and supporters of Richmond Food Security Society (RFSS) are eating only produce grown here on Lulu Island, meat raised by Richmond’s farmers, and fish sold at the Steveston docks in order to raise money to support food security in Richmond. Why are we doing this? Local eating supports local farmers and helps protect our farmland, is healthy as food is fresh harvested and unprocessed, and gives us the chance to learn about and influence how our food is grown. Our food system is complex, and...

After several years of community engagement with over 400 Richmond residents, the Richmond Food Charter is now complete. Join us Tuesday June 28, 4:00 2016 in the Anderson Room at Richmond City hall as we present the Food Charter to the Parks and Recreation Committee and ask for their endorsement. Food charters remind the community of the primary importance of adequate food for all, and ultimately serve to guide policy and programming decisions. Food charters have been endorsed in cities across Canada including Toronto, Vancouver, Squamish, Kamloops, and Victoria. While each community approaches it differently, all ultimately emphasize the importance of building a local food community and economy. The need for a Food Charter was identified in Richmond’s Official Community Plan, and a Working Group was formed. The Working Group included staff and volunteers...

Canada is a country that boasts natural beauty, friendly communities, and celebrations of multiculturalism and diversity. Yet, the 2011-2012 survey by Statistics Canada (1) raised attention to food security issues on a national scale; 8.3%, or 1 in 12 Canadian households experience food insecurity. Hunger may be the first thing that comes to mind when food insecurity is named, but the root causes and rippling impacts go far beyond simply “the lack of food”. Researchers found (1) that food insecure individuals are also compromised in physical and mental health, reduced in their ability to perform to full potential at school and work, and possessed greater risks for perceived lack of social support, depression and chronic stress. With 1 in 20 children also experiencing food insecurity (1), this issue is relevant for both current and future generations of Canadians....

The head of the UK’s Countryside Agency famously said in 2007 that civilization is ‘nine meals away from anarchy’. This stems from the fact that most grocery stores have only three days supply of food on their shelves. In the event that the food supply was interrupted it would only be three days before food began to run out and people became hungry. The chances of this happening are small but it highlights the fragility of the food system we rely on and brings into question how food secure we really are. One important aspect of food security is knowing how to grow your own. We are happy to offer a series of hands-on workshops this season that will give novice gardeners the skills and confidence they need to go forward and create their...

The Stir It Up! Youth Community Kitchen will be back in session this coming May, at the East Richmond Community Hall and Steveston Community Centre! Every week, Richmond youth will be creating and sharing delicious, hearty meals together, made from healthy, sustainable and local ingredients. From fresh salads to homemade pasta, curried chicken and rice to banana bread warm out of the oven, participating youth will be gaining food skills as well as learning creative ways to utilize seasonal ingredients. The goal of this program is to support youth in developing food skills, learning nutritional knowledge, and accessing local resources to improve their individual food security. Being food-secure is not merely having the physical and financial access to food, but also for what is consumed to be nutritious, sustainable, and supportive of a healthy,...

Now in it’s fifth year, the Richmond Community Seed Library continues to grow and engage Richmond residents in growing a robust local food system. What is a Seed Library? Just like a book library, members of the seed library can ‘check out’ seeds. They grow the plants, and let some of them go to seed, which they save and return to the Seed Library for others to borrow in the next growing season. Seed libraries are one response to increasing community control of our food supply. People have both the right and the responsibility to engage in the source of their food. The local food movement is growing; more people are choosing to eat locally in order to support their local farmers, keep money in the local economy and have a say...